Document 0886
 DOCN  M9650886
 TI    [What physicians should currently observe in the area of dental health]
 DT    9605
 AU    Buttner M
 SO    Gesundheitswesen. 1995 Nov;57(11):741-3. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE
       MED/96147358
 AB    Several factors govern the development of human dental caries. The
       actual caries incidence in children depends greatly on fluoride
       consumption, reduction of fermentable sugar intake (in favour of the use
       of sugar substitutes), dental health habits and regular dental
       check-ups. A significant reduction of dental caries in children and
       young adults is achieved in many countries following these principles.
       However, there remains a group, about 25%, with a particularly high
       incidence of caries. Today, efforts are directed at detecting these risk
       subjects. Mutans streptococci and lactobacilli are the main causative
       bacteria of human dental caries. The initiation of dental caries is
       preceded by colonisation of the dentition by S. mutans, usually in early
       childhood. The early establishment of these bacteria in the mouth of
       human infants is dependent on intrafamilial--mainly
       maternal--transmission of saliva. The higher the level of S. mutans in
       the maternal saliva, the more likely is the colonisation of primary
       dentition by cariogenic bacteria. The earlier the colonisation, the
       higher the incidence of caries. Today we have new diagnostic aids:
       Simple microbiological tests to detect the individuals with high
       salivary levels of these cariogenic bacteria, so called SM-millionaires.
       The tests are also a good educational aid for motivating patients to
       individual prophylaxis. What could a paediatrician or gynaecologist do
       to help the dentist? He could inform the parents early enough to avoid
       saliva contacts. For example, the mother should not take the child's
       spoon or pacifier in her mouth. The dentist meets the children much
       later, at an age where they already have caries. The older methods,
       mentioned at the begin, are also still valuable.
 DE    Adolescence  Adult  Child  Child, Preschool  Colony Count, Microbial
       Dental Caries/ETIOLOGY/*PREVENTION & CONTROL  Dental Caries
       Susceptibility  *DMF Index  English Abstract  Female  Human  Infant
       Male  Patient Care Team  Risk Factors  Streptococcus mutans  JOURNAL
       ARTICLE

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